


Steady

by Angel_Negra



Category: Power Rangers Jungle Fury
Genre: First Time, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-19
Updated: 2011-10-19
Packaged: 2017-10-24 18:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/266608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angel_Negra/pseuds/Angel_Negra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jarrod and Camille, learning to live in the world; thankfully, Casey's there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steady

It starts out pretty simply. Camille's still pretty uncomfortable around large groups of people, Jarrod and the rest of the Academy are still rather awkward around each other after everything that's happened, and Casey? Casey just goes with the flow, and his friends. In this case, his friends are Camille and Jarrod. It's his idea to get the off-campus apartment. When the masters protested, Casey had calmly rolled up his sleeve to show the mark of the Order of the Claw and then point out that his own mastery of kung fu came from an off-campus training. And so Camille and Jarrod are able to live in Ocean Bluff and go to the Academy for classes.

Lily, Theo and RJ handled the news well. Though RJ was quick to point out that with Lily, Theo and Flit, he was out of room, but he could stand to hire a few more employees if they needed the money. Casey's the one who suggested alternate employment. Jarrod has to admit that Casey knows them almost better than they know themselves. Camille winds up with a job in a library, Jarrod would be more surprised, but honestly, she's smart and very good at organization; and there are less people for her to have to put up with.

For his part, Jarrod absently fixed a few chairs for RJ one day, which some how grows into him become a handyman for the entire neighbourhood. He likes the work; to be able to fix something that was broken and see the results right away. He knows there's probably a connection to everything he's done in the past, but he's taking a cue from Casey and trying to simply go with the flow at this point.

Casey teaches kung fu. Both at the Academy and at the local community kung fu school. He also has a job with Search and Rescue, of all places. Jarrod hasn't worked up the nerve to ask, and Casey doesn't really talk about it beyond calling home to warn them when he has to go out on a search. Camille hasn't asked about it either, though Jarrod's seen her try a couple of times. But she's still a little unsure of how to do social etiquette in the twenty first century, and she tends to second guess herself.

The apartment they have is small. It was shabbier until Jarrod started to fix things around the place. The building manager's been dropping hints at possibly offering Jarrod a job as the building handyman, but for now, Jarrod focuses on their place. It's only two bedrooms, with a small kitchen, bathroom and living room. Casey usually sleeps on the couch, but he's been known to fall asleep where ever he's settled that night. Camille likes to joke that he truly is part cat.

They share a lot of the chores around the apartment. Casey and Camille are pretty decent cooks; Jarrod gave up after burning his first few attempts, so he tends to do the dishes instead. Casey dries and Camille puts it all away. It's one of Jarrod's favourite times of the evening because they tend to talk about anything and everything. With Casey and Camille moving easily around Jarrod and each other as they go. It's comfortable and there's often a lot of laughter.

Talk happens other times as well. Movie night is fun. They always take turns choosing movies, though sometimes they have to watch them twice. Once to explain everything to Camille, and sometimes Jarrod, and then once to just enjoy the movie. They all cluster together on the couch in a comfortable mess of arms, legs and one constantly moving bowl of popcorn.

The rest of the Rangers are still friendly, still friends. But Jarrod finds that their idea of friendship is not Casey's idea of friendship. Friendship with the others means things like Lily taking Camille out shopping, Theo talking techniques with Jarrod, RJ testing out new pizzas on them, and Dom and Fran wishing them well in the postcards that make it to Jungle Karma Pizza. Casey, on the other hand, has an entirely different view of friendship.

For one thing, he talks. Jarrod knows that they don't know everything there is to know about Casey, but he's willing to bet that not even the other Rangers know half of what Casey laughingly shares over dishes, or whispers quietly in the dark as they drift towards sleep. Small things, like Casey's favourite Jello; big things, like how Casey's mother abandoned him in a mall when he was seven.

Casey also doesn't seem to have any real concept of personal space. Or rather, Jarrod thinks, Casey doesn't seem to have any real concept of personal space when it comes to Jarrod and Camille. He doesn't crowd either of them, but if Camille decides that the best thing to do after a hard day is to flop onto the couch, regardless of who's sitting there, Casey doesn't even really blink. He just shifts around so Camille can be comfortable, on the cushions or his stomach, and goes back to whatever it was he was doing on the couch in the first place.

Jarrod can touch him. It's not that he can't touch others, but there's a moment of tenseness when he reaches out to people who aren't Camille or Casey. Some of the others at the Academy still flinch. It's hardly noticeable to most, but Jarrod feels it every time. Casey doesn't flinch or tense or well, do much at all. He just takes it in stride, grinning and sometimes even leaning back into Jarrod. It's refreshing and more than once, Jarrod's caught himself patting or touching Casey more because of it.

It's a comfortable friendship that the three of them have. It's closer than anything Jarrod's used to, though he's willing to chalk it up to well, a lot of things really. There's not a lot of people he can talk to about his time as Dai Shi, and while the other Rangers always treat him and Camille well, there's always that small bit of knowledge in the back of his head. That Casey was the one who came for him. Casey was the one who fought for him, that gave him and Camille a way out. Casey was the one who believed in them first.

The couch breaks one night. Camille flops onto it while Jarrod is letting the water out of the sink and Casey is putting the last of the plates away. There's a creak and a groan and a loud crack as Camille shrieks in surprise. They rush in to find her standing in front of the couch, clutching at her chest and staring at it with wide eyes. She straightens up when she notices Jarrod and Casey and glares at them. "I told you we shouldn't have let Flit come over with the others," she says accusingly.

Casey snickers and moves toward the couch. "Theo sat on it the most," he returns.

Jarrod snorts and helps Casey ease the couch on its back so they can inspect the underneath of it. The frame is cracked in two separate places. Jarrod sighs. "We're going to need a new one."

"It's seven o'clock at night," protests Camille. "Where's Casey going to sleep?" She points at Casey. "And don't say you can just drive back to the Academy. It's late."

"Okay," says Casey easily. "We could always make up a hammock from some of the extra blankets."

"You can share with me," Jarrod says without thinking.

Camille gives him a strange look, like she's just as surprised and unsure as he is. Jarrod shrugs a shoulder, but doesn't take it back. It feels like a big moment for some reason. He looks down at where Casey is crouched by the couch to find Casey looking up at both of them with an unreadable expression on his face.

"All right," says Casey, "if you think we'll fit." He smiles and stands up. Prodding the couch with his foot, he says, "we'll have to go shopping tomorrow."

"And I get to pick the colours this time," says Camille, poking Casey lightly in the shoulder.

They get a bunch of the extra blankets to settle down on for their movie. It feels more intimate than usual. Jarrod attempts to shake it off, leaning back against the broken couch and laying his arms along it. Camille shifts, reaching over Casey to grab the popcorn and Casey winds up resting his head on Jarrod's wrist. Jarrod suddenly can't really focus on the movie anymore.

Camille's decided not to move back to her original position, opting instead to settle across Casey and Jarrod's laps instead of just claiming the popcorn for herself and Casey's settled back, resting more comfortably against Jarrod's arm. It's nothing they haven't done before, but tonight, curled up on the floor under all the blankets, Jarrod finds himself very aware of all the places they're touching and the body heat the other two are giving off. His whole focus has narrowed to all their points of contact.

The movie ends before Jarrod knows it and then Camille is slowly standing up, clutching the popcorn bowl and Casey sighs before starting to gather up the blankets. Jarrod gives himself a bit of a mental shake and gets up to go make room for Casey in his room. He tosses some dirty clothes into the hamper and pulls out the set of pyjamas that Casey keeps here. He can hear Casey puttering around in the kitchen and living room, putting everything away, while Camille's starts up her nightly shower.

Jarrod tosses the pyjamas to Casey when he comes into the room, managing to get the shirt to land right on Casey's head. He grins at Casey's indignant "Hey!" and starts changing into his own sleep clothes.

"You know," says Casey, amusement in his voice, "One of these days, I'm going to catch these perfectly."

Jarrod snorts, pulling up his sleep pants. "No, you won't," he says. "You're never on guard around me."

Casey laughs softly. "True."

Camille comes bustling in, wrapped in a towel. "We're almost out of shampoo," she says, digging through the pyjama drawer for her nightie.

"We could swing by the store after we go couch shopping tomorrow," says Casey, sitting down on the edge of Jarrod's bed. "We're almost out of milk any ways."

Jarrod relaxes muscles he hadn't even realized he'd tensed. It's not the first time Camille's come in while they're changing to get her own clothes, and Casey never seems bothered by it, but Jarrod knows it's not normal and part of him keeps waiting for Casey to comment on it. He also never comments on Camille and Jarrod keeping their own rooms. He helped them move in, so Casey knows that Camille's room is too small to keep a dresser of her own, but most people would be wondering why a couple who live together wouldn't share a bedroom.

He's noticed before that Casey seems to just take him and Camille in stride, but he's feeling very aware of it tonight. Then Camille's wet towel hits him in the head. He pulls it off and glares at both her and Casey, who are grinning at him. "What?"

"She asked if you wanted pancakes for breakfast," says Casey, leaning back on the bed.

Jarrod shifts slightly, facing Casey a bit more and putting his back Camille. He pretends to think about the question. "Okay," he says and then chucks the towel backwards.

Camille's startled and slightly muffled yelp tells him he hit his target and quickly dodges to the side. He laughs at Casey's surprised look when Camille lands on him. The two of them share a conspiring look and Jarrod quickly drops onto the bed before they can form a plan.

The three of them have to do some shifting around until they can all fit on the bed, but once they do, they settle down for a while. Jarrod eyes the light switch, which is on the other side of the room, but he figures they can get it later.

Later turns out to be the next morning. Jarrod wakes to the sun in his face, Camille curled up between him and Casey and his arm gone numb because Casey's using as a pillow. Jarrod watches the both of them for a few minutes, soaking up the peace of the moment. This feels right, he decides. Then he frowns. Three people can't make a good couple, can they?

"Hey," whispers Casey. Jarrod looks over to see Casey watching him with sleepy, half-closed eyes. "Don't worry so much. We'll work it out."

"This isn't normal," Jarrod whispers back.

Camille snorts softly. "I turned out the lights with my tongue last night," she says, rolling her eyes and sitting up to stretch. "We're not normal, period."

Casey laughs silently and sits up himself.

Jarrod snorts and shakes out his numb arm. "So what time do we leave for couch shopping?" he asks.

End


End file.
